Helene becomes post-tropical cyclone heading to Ireland, U.K.

Helene, once a Category 2 hurricane, moved northeast through the Azores Islands on Sunday, and was headed to Ireland and United Kingdom as post-tropical cyclone Image courtesy NOAA

Sept. 16 (UPI) Tropical Storm Helene became a post-tropical cycclone as it moved from the Azores, and approached Ireland and United Kingdom, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday.

Helene was downgraded from a Category 2 hurricane to a tropical storm Thursday. The center of Helene was about 405 miles north of the Azores, the NHC said in its latest and last advisory. Meteo France will issue additional forecasts.

Helene had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving northeast at 29 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 230 miles from the center.

Some weakening is expected by Monday and Helene is forecast to be absorbed by another low pressure area by early Tuesday.

The two other tropical storms in the Atlantic, Florence and Joyce, became depressions Sunday.

Both storms' maximum sustained wind speeds were 35 mph.

Joyce was moving east-northeast 18 mph and it was 465 miles west-southwest of the Azores in the latest advisory. Florence was 40 miles west of Columbia, S.C., and 215 miles southwest of Raleigh, N.C. in the latest advisory.